The Empress Arianeat The Louvre, Paris

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We know of two other portraits carved of this high-ranking woman (one in Rome, the Palace of the Conservatives and St. John Lateran), most often identified as Empress Ariadne (474-515), but also believed to be Licenia Eudoxia, wife of Valentinian III, or Amalasuntha, daughter of Theodoric the Great, king of the Goths. Empress Ariane was known as the queen of Constantinople. Constantinople was reinaugurated in 324 AD at ancient Byzantium, as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Emperor Constantine the Great, after whom it was named, and dedicated on May 11, 330. In the 12th century, the city was the largest and wealthiest European city and instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times. After losing its territory, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire was reduced to just its capital city and surroundings, eventually falling to the Ottomans in 1453. Following the Muslim conquest, the former bastion of Christianity in the east, Constantinople, was turned into the capital of the Ottoman Empire, under which it prospered and flourished again. For many centuries, the city was popularly called "Istanbul," from a Greek phrase meaning "to the city," while officially it was known by various names, including Constantinople and Dersaadet. Names other than "Istanbul" became obsolete in late Ottoman Empire, and after Turkey switched to Latin script in 1928, it began to urge other countries to use the Turkish name, and "Istanbul" gradually attained international usage. Constantinople was renowned for its massive defenses. Although besieged numerous times by various peoples, the Byzantine city was taken only in 1204 by the Latin army of the Fourth Crusade, recovered in 1261 by the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, and in 1453 conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II. The first, smaller wall was erected by Constantine I, surrounding the city. Later, in the 5th century, Theodosius II constructed the Theodosian Walls, which consisted of a double wall lying about 2 km to the west of the first wall. The city was built on seven hills as well as on the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, presenting an impregnable fortress enclosing magnificent palaces, domes, and towers spanning two continents. The city was also renowned for its architectural masterpieces, such as the Greek Orthodox cathedral of Hagia Sophia, which served as the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the sacred Imperial Palace where Emperors lived, the Galata Tower, the Hippodrome, and the Golden Gate, lining the arcaded avenues and squares. Constantinople contained numerous artistic and literary treasures before it was sacked in 1204 and 1453. The city was virtually depopulated when it fell to the Ottoman Turks but recovered rapidly, and by the mid-1600s, it was once again the world's largest city as the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. This object is part of "Scan The World." Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)